UP THE CHAIN: How lower extremity care can improve spinal health

How Lower Extremity Care Can Improve Spinal Health

The kinetic chain doesn’t end at the hips, and practitioners know the stability and function of the lower extremities can significantly influence the stability and function of the spine and core. Researchers and clinicians recently have been examining these relationships in more detail, and a growing body of evidence suggests that distal approaches can be effective for preventing and managing spinal conditions across a wide range of patient populations.

When it comes to the evidence-based use of foot orthoses to manage low back pain, clinicians and researchers point to a need for more comparisons of therapeutic devices and sham devices. Conducting such studies, however, is sometimes easier said than done.

Idiopathic scoliosis, most common in adolescent girls, is marked by a single or double spinal curve, hip and shoulder asymmetry, and pelvic obliquity (or limb-length discrepancy). These structural issues can be associated with biomechanical issues that include postural instability…

What do gators, windmills, and lawnmowers all have in common? All three are nicknames for exercises that incorporate strengthening or stretching of muscles in both the lower back and the lower extremities. And all three are examples of tools baseball pitchers can…